Not Applicable
The present invention relates in general to filtration systems, and in particular to a purification system for tobacco-generated secondhand smoke wherein a smoke entrapment intake hood and an electrostatic suction filter assembly concertedly first collect and clean tobacco-smoke saturated air and thereafter return clean air to the atmosphere.
While the hazards of cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking to the smoker have been known for a relatively long time, the hazards of secondhand smoke, i.e. smoke emanating from the burning tobacco itself as well as that exhaled by the smoker and entering the ambient air, more recently have been recognized as a potential danger to non-smokers who are in the vicinity of the secondhand smoke. Especially vulnerable are children and anyone who has a respiratory or pulmonary disease since the inhalation of secondhand smoke is thought by some to be more dangerous than first-hand smoke inhaled by the smoker because the secondhand smoke has no benefit of filtration. Consequently, many establishments, as well as residences, have banned smoking altogether or have instigated requirements that limit smoking to a small area. Even with such limitations, however, the remnants of smoke as well as the potentially dangerous remaining particulate still can be present when smoking is permitted at a nearby site.
While It is apparent that a need is present for systems that can clean air containing secondhand smoke prior to air release into the ambient atmosphere, such recognition has resulted in little if any more than the availability of battery-powered ashtrays that pull smoke from a tobacco product such as a cigarette only while the cigarette is situated in a retainer clip of the ashtray. However, when the cigarette is being smoked, it is, of course, away from the ashtray and consequently is emitting secondhand smoke into the surrounding environment. Therefore, in view of the potential danger associated with secondhand smoke as generated from tobacco products, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a purification system for such tobacco-generated secondhand smoke while the act of smoking occurs in a generally non-restricted location.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a purification system for tobacco-generated secondhand smoke whereby smoke-entrained air is collected and directed to a filtration appliance for decontamination and subsequent release of clean air to the ambient atmosphere.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a purification system for tobacco-generated secondhand smoke where the tobacco smoker can be comfortably situated while persons in the immediate vicinity are not subjected to or bothered by such smoke.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.
The present invention is a purification system for preventing secondhand tobacco smoke from reaching an ambient environment thereabout. Two components of the system include, first, a smoke entrapment intake hood for aggregating the secondhand smoke, and, second, an electrostatic suction filter assembly in communication with the entrapment hood for extracting aggregated smoke from the hood, removing untoward particulate from the smoke, and releasing resulting clean air to the environment. The filter assembly includes at least one particulate filter for collecting smoke-borne particulate and at least one appropriately charged or grounded plate for electrostatically collecting charged smoke-borne particulate. An exit port from the filter assembly permits the release of so-cleaned air to the environment as a negative-ion emitter, positioned immediately inside the exit port, introduces charged ions into the cleansed air.
The present purification system can be provided in a variety of embodiments, including a chair structure, a gazebo structure, and a portable wheeled structure. In this manner, smokers, non-smokers, and the environment all benefit through convenient smoking sites that substantially do not emit or release secondhand smoke products into the atmosphere.